Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 25.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 25.0% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2025.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and up 115.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan peaked at 26.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 2010.
Afghanistan ranks 11th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.5% | — |
| 1992 | 10.5% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 10.4% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 10.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 10.4% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 10.4% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 10.4% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 10.4% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 10.3% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 10.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 10.3% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 10.4% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 11.6% | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 12.8% | +10.6% |
| 2017 | 14.0% | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 14.8% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 16.8% | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 16.9% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 26.7% | +57.8% |
| 2023 | 26.6% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 26.1% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 25.0% | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.4% | 10.3% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 10.3% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.0% | 16.8% | 26.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Afghanistan was 25.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 2010.
- How does Afghanistan rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Afghanistan ranks 11th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 115.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.